Superintendent James Froio came into the J-E district a little over a year ago under less than ideal circumstances. He replaced interim superintendent Lawrence Zacher, who was fired for recommending a contract for an administrator that would have given her three years’ salary even if she were not granted tenure. The administrator in question, Paula VanMinos, also was fired.

This came after months of public turmoil surrounding the suspensions of high school principal David Zehner and assistant superintendent for business and finance William Hamilton, and the firing of treasurer Anthony Scro. Between legal costs and pay for the suspended school officials, the district is out well over $1 million, and counting.

Froio, then executive principal at Cicero-North Syracuse, leapt at the opportunity to take the helm at Jordan-Elbridge. Speaking before the school board, he pledged to fix what was broken and restore the district’s reputation. Parents and students gave him a standing ovation.

When he took over, Froio suspected the district was top-heavy. But he waited a year before announcing big plans to reshape district administration. The superintendent wants to abolish four out of six upper-level jobs:

• Assistant superintendent for business and finance, paid $108,721 a year. J-E has been doing without Hamilton since his suspension. His lawyer says eliminating the job will likely result in more litigation. It does beg the question: What if the district is found in the wrong in the Hamilton matter? Is abolishing the job an end-run around such an eventuality?

• Director of operations, vacant since VanMinos was fired. The job pays $105,463 a year.

• Director of special education, vacant since January 2011. Annual salary is $88,840. Janice Schue, assistant superintendent for instruction, took over the special ed duties.

• Interim business manager, budgeted at $110,500.

That would leave Froio and Schue as the only top administrators in the district of 1,500 students — on par with the similar-sized Skaneateles district. “I feel confident we will be able to handle the administrative duties of the school district,” Froio told staff writer Catie O’Toole.

The superintendent plans to spend the savings on staffing in the schools, where students will benefit the most. J-E added an academic dean this year. Next year, Froio plans to replace that position with an assistant principal who will float between the high school and the middle school.

Now it’s up to the Jordan-Elbridge school board to abolish the positions. President Brian Richardson supports the move. With reservations about Hamilton’s due process, so do we.